How to Choose the Perfect Aquarium for Your Home

IN THIS POST
– Capacity of Aquariums
– Dimensions of Aquariums
– Weight of Aquariums
– Glass or Acrylic Aquariums

Fish can make perfect pets. They are easy to care for, serene to watch, don’t make any noise, and are found in a range of beautiful colours. In addition to that, a well-designed fish tank with bright decorations can become the focal point of any room. However, when it comes to buying aquariums, the biggest confusion most buyers face is choosing the right size. Of course the shape and material of the aquarium also matter a lot, but it’s the size that plays the biggest role in ensuring the longevity and well-being of the fish living inside. Since we have already discussed how to care for an aquarium, it’s about we get into the nitty-gritty of how to choose an aquarium for your home.

Before we begin, let’s clarify that the size or dimensions of an aquarium depend largely on its capacity. Therefore, you must measure the area where you are planning to keep your aquarium and determine how many fish you want to keep. In case you are planning to keep your fish tank on a table or another piece of furniture, you should figure out how much weight it would be able to bear. If you want a bigger aquarium, consider investing in a proper aquarium stand. 

Let’s get started. 

How to Choose an Aquarium Based On Capacity

Aquariums can range in capacity from just 1 gallon to over 100 gallons. Here are the standard fish tank sizes that you can buy for your home based on capacity. 

• 1-4 gallon
• 5-10 gallon
• 11-20 gallon 
• 21-40 gallon
• More than 40 gallon 

To find out the best aquarium size for your home, let’s discuss this further.

1 to 4 Gallon Aquariums

If you ask someone what is the best size aquarium for a beginner, the answer is most likely going to be a fishbowl. A standard fish bowl can hold between 1.5 and 3 gallons of water after leaving a few inches at the top for maintenance, feeding and accessories. 

While smaller aquariums are easy to maintain and can be placed anywhere in a room without having to move around the furniture, they also have a few drawbacks. For starters, fishbowls lack the surface area required for a healthy gas change. As a result, they become susceptible to the buildup of harmful chemicals, affecting the pH of the water. Not to mention, a standard fish bowl only has enough space for a 4 to 5-inch fish. If you try to put a pair of fish into a 3 gallon aquarium, neither would have enough room to swim, which will make them vulnerable to various diseases. 

However, it is also the easiest size fish tank to care for. 

5 to 10 Gallon Aquariums

Aquariums that can hold between 5 and 10 gallons of water are considered the perfect size for small homes and apartments. 

These fish tanks don’t claim a lot of space and can be easily stored on top of a desk or any other table in your home. They are also big enough to hold a couple of different types of fish along with an aquarium filter, aquarium heater and a few pieces of decoration.  

However, a 10 gallon aquarium also comes with its own set of challenges. Owing to their small size and open surface, it is required for the homeowners to monitor their fish tank’s pH and filtration. It must also be cleaned on a regular basis to maintain a stable environment for its inhabitants.

11 to 20 Gallon Aquariums

These are the most common types of aquariums in homes across Pakistan. 

If you want to add a proper fish tank to your living room or drawing room, you should consider choosing the one that can hold between 11 and 20 gallons of water. Such aquariums are big enough to house a handful of small-sized fish or up to 5 goldfish or clownfish. They are also not big enough to claim a lot of space in your home and not too small to go unnoticed.

Since these aquariums have more capacity, you can decorate them with a variety of artificial or aquatic plants and decorative pieces. You can also easily add a heater and water filter along with a tank hood. Although you will still need to keep an eye on its pH level and filtration, maintaining these fish tank sizes is relatively easier.

These are probably the best aquarium sizes for homes in Pakistan. 

21 to 40 Gallon Aquariums

Do you want your aquarium to be the centerpiece of your home? If so, choosing an aquarium with the capacities between 21 and 40 gallon might be the perfect option for you. 

Such tanks can hold up to a dozen fish that are between 4 and 7 inches long. Their volume also ensures the fish have enough space to swim around, which can be conducive to their health. Although these tanks are bigger, heavier and ultimately more expensive than the ones mentioned above, purchasing them should be considered an investment since they add both elegance and colour to your home décor. 

However, these tanks would require a more efficient filter, heater and substrate to maintain a stable environment for the fish. Moreover, you will probably have to buy an aquarium stand for these types of aquariums. 

Over 40 Gallon Aquariums

Such aquarium sizes are ideal for luxury homes. Fish tanks that can hold over 40 gallons can make an optimal home for different types of fish and other aquatic life, such as algae. Owing to their large size, they can be even used as space dividers. 

However, these fish tank sizes are difficult to maintain, extremely heavy and quite pricey. They also require structural reinforcements for installation, as many commercially available stands won’t be able to bear its weight. 

How to Choose an Aquarium Based On Dimensions

You are probably still wondering how to choose a fish tank size that fits the available space in your home. Well, to choose the right aquarium size, you need to measure its dimensions. While there are different types of fish tank size calculators available online, the easiest way to go about it is to use its exact length x width x height dimensions. 

Though before we begin, it is pertinent to mention that all aquariums of the same capacity do not have the same shape. That means the l x w x h dimensions of rectangle fish tank sizes would be vastly different from those shaped like a cylinder or square. 

Moreover, when calculating the fish tank sizes according to their capacity, please keep in mind that you’ll need a few inches above the aquarium for feeding and maintenance purposes. 

The standard aquarium sizes mentioned below do not include the height of the tank hood. Also, these dimensions are for rectangular fish tanks.

How to Choose an Aquarium Based on Weight 

When it comes to choosing aquarium types and sizes, you cannot ignore taking its weight into consideration.

The table below shows the empty and filled weights for standard aquarium sizes. However, it does not take into account the weight of the tank hood, water filter, heater and other accessories placed inside or on top of the aquarium. Moreover, the weight of the aquariums may vary depending on their material. For example, glass aquariums are heavier than the acrylic ones of the same dimensions.

Glass vs Acrylic Aquariums

Now that we know how to choose the right aquarium size based on capacity, dimensions and weight, let’s talk about the materials of these tanks.

Owing to their transparency, both glass and acrylic are the top choices for fish tank materials in Pakistan. Here is a small comparison between these two types of aquariums to help you choose the option that suits your lifestyle and décor needs the best.

That brings an end to our detailed guide on how to choose an aquarium for your home. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to share them with us at blog@zameen.com. 

To learn more about different types of pets for your kids and how to make your home more pet-friendly, stay connected to Zameen Blog – the best lifestyle and property blog in Pakistan. 

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